Bail-bond



- E. HUTTON.

RAIL BOND.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, [917- Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

F21 Hue 14 601 tending horizontally ERNEST BUTTON, 0F WAYLAND, KENTUCKY.

RAIL-BOND.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented NOV. 11, 1919.

Application filed March 28, 1917. Serial No. 158,075.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST HUTTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wayland, in the county of Floyd and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Bonds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for electrically connecting track-rails at the abutting end portions, whereby a continuous conductor is afforded by the rails for use in that type of electric traction in which the propelling-motor circuit is completed through the rails. a

The rail-bond provided by the invention is adapted particularly for use with mine tra-ckage, where exigencies of service require comparatively frequent laying, removal, and relaying of tracks, which involves removal and replacement of bonds, but it also is adapted for general use.

It is an object of the invention to provide a rail-bond that is susceptive of placement, removal, and replacement, to connect rails a greater number of times than bonds of the type generally in use, before becoming unsuited for service.

When read in connection with the description herein, the details of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawing, forming part hereof, wherein an embodiment of the invention is disclosed, for purposes of illustration. 7

While the disclosures .herein now are considered to exemplify a preferable embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that it is not the intention to be limited necessarily thereto in interpretation of the claims, as modifications thereinwithin the limits of the claims can be made without departing from the nature and spigit of the invention.

Like reference-characters refer to corre-- sponding parts in the views of the drawing, of which Figure 1 is an elevation;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view;-

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view illustrative of a modified form of arrangement, one end portion of a bond and the contiguous portion of a rail being shown as exemplary of the arrangement :at both ends; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bond.

Having more particular reference to the drawing, A, designates a rail, which has exthrough its web a ciras shown at 8 shown Flg.

cular hole or opening B of the kind 0rdinarily provided for connection of the usual types of rail-bonds.

The bond provided by the invention includes -a shank or connecting member 5, Whichhas at each end an enlarged integrally formed terminal portion 6 constituting a flange that seats against the portion of the rail-web surrounding the opening B. A bushing 7 formed integrally with and extending laterally from the part 6, and of substantially cylindrical shape and of smaller diameter than that part, is arranged to fit into the hole B. A circular opening or bore 8 extends axially through the part 6 and the bushing, and its wall converges from the flange end to the other end, so that a bore of substantially conical or funnel form is provided. The part of the bore that extends through the flange part 6 flares outwardly to a greater degree than elsewhere, In order to facilitate the pressing of the bushing against the wall of the'rail-opening', a slot 9, coextensive with the length of the bore-through the flange'and bushing, extends from the bore to the periphery, preferably at a place diametrically opposite to the place where the shank 5 merges into the flange 6.

For the purpose of causing the bushing to be forced'into tight contact against the.

wall of the rail-opening, and at the same time to maintain the bond in connection with the web, a bolt 10 is provided. This bolt includes a threaded shank 11 that extends outwardly from the rail-web on the side opposite to the flange of the bond and a circular wedge-shaped'head 1-2 of frusto-conioal form conforming to the shape of the. bore in the bushing and having its smaller end. at the place of commencement of the shank. The head extends in uniformly increasing diameter from the shank' ,to its free end, which latter end is devoid of a flange or other extension from the uniform contour of the head. k

' In order to preventthe bolt from turning in the bore, its head is formed with a longitudinally-disposed rib 13 that projects into the slot 9.

The bolt is held inthe bore by anut ii on the threaded shank and abutting the side of the web. The nut may be of the form polygonal wrench or o part 15 for engagement by a 2, wherein it includes a' her turning-tool and a .w-ing portion 16 abutting the rail. On the side abutting the rail, the nut around its bore is formed with an enlarged recess 17, from which immediately continues an enlarged bore 18 to the normal threaded bore of the nut. The recess 17 and enlarged bore 18 are provided to accommodate, respectively, material of the bushing and the portion of the head of the nut adjacent to the threaded shank after the bore of the bushing has become enlarged and material of the bushing is drawn outwardly from successive use. If desired, the nut proper and the wing portion may be separate pieces, as shown by Fig. 3, wherein a polygonal part 15 is engaged on the threaded bolt-shank and presses against an enlarged Washer 16 and, if desired, after the bore of the bushing has become considerably enlarged, another washer 16 may be placed between the washer 16 and the rail-web.

In connecting a bond to a rail, the bushing is inserted into the hole or opening through the rail-web, and then the bolt is passed into the bore of the bond with the threaded shank extending outwardly from the web on the side opposite to the flange of the bond, with the head seated against the wall of the bore in the bushing, and with the rib of the head extending into the slot 9. Then the nut is tightened, and by- Wedge action the head presses the material of the bushing tightly against the material of the rail-web.

In view of the fact that rail-bonds are generally formed of copper, which is comparatively soft, the bore of the bushing gradually becomes enlarged when the bond is disconnected from a rail and again placed in connection a number of times, as is the case with tracks in mines. However, the wedge-shaped head continues to conform to the bore as it becomes enlarged and operates towedge the material of the bushing into engagement against the wall of the railopening. Thus the bond can be used successively and successfully until vthe bore has become enlarged to the size indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The flange portion 6. prevents the bond terminal, including the bushing, from being drawn bodily through the rail-opening. The bore of the bond in the flange inclines away from the contour of the bolt-head, as already described and as indicated at S in order to prevent the metal from being pressed outwardly and forming a bur above the plane of the enlarged portion 6 and to obviate cracking of the metal at that place.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A rail-bond having a bushing arranged to seat in an opening in a rail formed W 1th a bore that gradually enlarges from the inner toward the outer end and then flares outwardly to a greater degree, in combination with a bolt having a comically-shaped head arranged to seat in said bore and by wedging action to force material of the bushlng tightly against the Wall of the rail-opening.

2. A rail-bond having a bushing arranged to seat in an opening in a rail and formed with a bore having an inclined wall and having a slot extending from the bore to the periphery, in COIIlblIlZLtlOIlWltll a bolt having a conically-shaped head adapted to seat in said bore and by wedglng act on to force the material Of'the bushing tightly against the wall of the rail-opening and having a rib extending into S2L1d bushingslot and preventing rotation of said bolt.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

ERNEST HUTTON. 

